The 24/7 Cable "news"&"news"papers did it again! Miss this?: Heavy Rain Floods Parts of New Orleans

[Up2Late]

Oh well, at least the AP posted it, too bad only TWO American "newspapers" (that I can find) picked parts of this up!

Heavy Rain Floods Parts of New Orleans

Tuesday October 23, 2007 4:01 PM

By CAIN BURDEAU

Associated Press Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The deluge of rain that flooded streets eased dramatically Tuesday, a day after downpours disrupted businesses, closed schools and swamped areas still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Only a few more showers were forecast.

After more than (only?) 8 inches of rain drenched the city Monday, Mayor Ray Nagin shut City Hall early and schools were closed across the city. Waist-high water in parts of eastern New Orleans soaked businesses, some of which had only recently reopened after being damaged by Katrina in 2005.

The city's drainage pumps all worked, but they couldn't keep up with the intense rainfall, emergency preparedness officials told The Times-Picayune.

The pumps can handle up to 1 inch of rain in the first hour and a half-inch an hour after that, but some areas got more than two inches of rain in an hour, said Robert Jackson, a spokesman for the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board.... (more at link)

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7018087,00.html>

Maybe THIS has something to do with this!!!:banghead:

New Orleans Pumps Flawed, Whistleblower Discloses

WASHINGTON, DC, October 9, 2007 (ENS) - The main pumps protecting New Orleans in the event of a major hurricane or flood are "inherently flawed" due to poor design and still have not been properly tested, according to whistleblower disclosure documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, PEER.

The top U.S. Army Corps of Engineers specialist assigned to oversee the city's new pumping system says that key safeguards were circumvented and "there is an erroneous assumption that…hydraulic pumps are fully operational, and hence, the risk to the public remains high," in the words of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

Maria Garzino, a veteran Corps civil engineer, who was the team leader of pumping systems installation for New Orleans, has filed for federal whistleblower status with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, OSC. In a September 21 letter, the OSC notified Defense Secretary Robert Gates that it found Garzino's charges credible.

Writing from the OSC's office, Scott Bloch informed the defense secretary, "I have concluded that there is a substantial likelihood that the information she provided to the Office of Special Counsel discloses violations of law, rule or regulation, gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, and a substantial and specific danger to public health." By law, Secretary Gates must respond within 60 days....

(more at link) <http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2007/2007-10-09-093.asp>

[lost-in-nj]

1. Well the first story about the flooding

I saw (don't hate me)

on the front page of Drudge.....
I thought about it being so near...yet so far from
drought stricken Georgia.....

I had not seen the second one anywhere


lost

[Up2Late]

4. What did Drudge say about it? Did he blame the people of New Orleans for this?

I know, probably a stupid question, but I have never even been tempted to even check out Drudge, I just know that's his usual M.O.

[lost-in-nj]

10. Actually all it was

was the headline on his website and when you clicked on it
it brought you to the article.... not sure which news source it was....

If I had to guess I would say Breitbart
but not positive


lost

[acmavm]

2. Did I miss this? What an understatement.

Another crime of neglect buried by the MSM

[SalmonChantedEvening]

3. Damned M$M will cover these fools' asses no matter what

Maria Garzino sadly, will suffer and the criminals will just be re-assigned to another agency, and fuck it up 6 ways to sunday.

:mad:

[Up2Late]

5. Here's a link to PEER's website (referred to in story #2)

<http://www.peer.org/index.php>

And the Press Release on the Pump Problem: <http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=931>

For Immediate Release: October 8, 2007
Contact: Carol Goldberg [phone]

NEW ORLEANS PUMPS STILL QUESTIONABLE, SAYS CORPS ENGINEER

— U.S. Special Counsel Orders Investigation of Whistleblower Disclosure

Washington, DC — The main pumps protecting New Orleans in the event of a major hurricane or flood are “inherently flawed” due to poor design and have still not been properly tested, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The top U.S. Army Corps of Engineers specialist assigned to oversee the city’s new pumping system says that key safeguards were circumvented and “there is an erroneous assumption that…hydraulic pumps are fully operational, and hence, the risk to the public remains high,” in the words of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

Maria Garzino, a veteran Corps engineer who was the Team Leader of Pumping Systems Installation for New Orleans, has filed for federal whistleblower status with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). In a September 21, 2007 letter, OSC notified Defense Secretary Robert Gates that it found Ms. Garzino’s charges have “a substantial likelihood of validity.” By law, Secretary Gates must respond within 60 days.

In her disclosure, Ms. Garzino outlined extensive problems with the hydraulic pumps that the Corps overlooked in order to allow the contractor “to meet time-sensitive deadlines, and to avoid government imposed damages and instead earn financial incentives.” While serious problems with the pumps previously identified by Ms. Garzino (including “catastrophic failure” from gears “blowing up”) in 2006 had been acknowledged by the Corps, the agency now asserts that these concerns have all been resolved. Ms. Garzino, to the contrary, argues that—

* The Corps review team under the command of Brigadier Gen. Robert Crear “arrived on a Friday and then provided a report by Saturday night” without enough time to address technical issues or even interview Ms. Garzino. That report was issued on June 4, 2007;
* In the summer of 2007, additional pumps were installed and tested but the reliability of the original forty pumps is still being assumed, despite strong indications that they could not function under a full “load” for substantial periods of time; and
* Corps commanders deliberately evaded “adequate performance testing requirements” and approved improper contract modifications.

Ms. Garzino filed the disclosure with OSC after finding that the Corps “misled into believing that USACE was going to properly address the pumping equipment problems.” At the same time, “the media had already been informed that the pumps were operational.”

“The Corps clearly still suffers from crippling integrity failures,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, noting the rising calls for “Corps Reform” stemming from reports by other agency whistleblowers. “As at Walter Reed Hospital, Secretary Gates will have to clean house at the Corps.”

### <http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=931>

[merh]

6. The coverage of this was overshadowed by the fires in California

Both deserved coverage - but NOLA is old news :(

[Up2Late]

9. Yup, that's what it looks like, sorry. So how is your rebuilding coming merh?

I haven't seen you around much in GD, so I'm assuming you're keeping busy with all that still needs to be done.

[merh]

11. I hope to be in my new house by Thanksgiving.

I can't wait!! :




thanks for asking and for all the good wishes & support! :hi:

:hug:

[Up2Late]

15. That looks fantastic!

Makes me think it's time to head to the Gulf Coast for a long weekend road trip, I haven't been to Destin since 2004.

Well done!:toast:

[merh]

16. It has been an adventure

Just one of life's adventures - one I really don't want to repeat, but one I am happy to say I have survived.

It's a pre-fab house - modular home - factory/assembly line built. I would go made waiting on the building of a stick built from scratch. :crazy:

Check it out http://s42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/determinedafterstorm/House%20building/?action=view¤t=31c149e1.pbw

[Up2Late]

17. It looks like the same house "The Science Channel" did a program on with their show...

..."Build it Bigger." It was a very interesting show and sounds like the best way to go.

I watched a bunch of houses being build "on-site" in Destin (at a site called "Dunes of Destin"), and the "on-site" built houses seemed to take months longer to complete, when compared to houses built here in Georgia.

It looks like it replays in a few weeks:

Nov 26, 6:00 pm
(60 minutes)

Build It Bigger
Hurricane-Proof Homes
TV-PG

Danny Forester explores the construction of heavy duty modular homes and their journey from factory to final site.

<http://science.discovery.com/tv-schedules/series.html?paid=48.15255.25456.34169.x&start=30>

Here's a link to some of the "Dunes of Destin" houses, most of which, I think, are rentals most of the time: <http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/region/usa/florida/panhandle-destin-area/mid-destin/dunes-of-destin>

I stayed with a group of people in one a few years ago and have been to parties in a few others. They are nice, but probably too expensive for most people to buy.

<http://www.dunesofdestin.com/>

[merh]

18. That is exactly the show - the same model house!

Thanks for the link about it showing again.

I need to record it if I can.

[stray cat]

7. I saw the first story on the news as well probably NBC or CNN

[Donnachaidh]

8. they did a TINY report on this on broadcast news

But they really didn't get into it, and used it as a comparison of the drought we're in here in Georgia.

[Up2Late]

12. Drought?!? I got a pretty good rain here last week, drought's over, Right?

I'm just glad the Governors of Alabama and Florida finally spoke up to counter our so-called "governor" "Sonny" Perdue's claim that we here in Georgia shouldn't have to release "our" water to save some endangered creature in Florida.

Hey "Sonny"!!! The people of Alabama and Florida need some of "our" water too! :banghead: :rant:

[terisan]

14. Quite the Christian, that Sonny..... nt

[Donnachaidh]

20. heh -- tell THAT to the golf course owners

They now want permission to water everything 3 times a week.

Sonny's not going to back down, now that his *base's* favourite pastime is being threatened. Why worry about mussels downstream, when golfers are *suffering* having to look at dead vegetation around their greens? Holy schnikes Batman -- time to break out the muskets and start shooting anyone who messes with the golf courses! :sarcasm:

[terisan]

13. Media, like the Old Testament god changed focus: No more Flood, the Fire next time. nt

[Up2Late]

19. kick n/t

:kick:

[Up2Late]

21. kick n/t

:kick: